Eternal Life Being
Eternal Life Beings (长生者; chángshēngzhě, literally means ‘one who has long life’) are Tribulation Immortals who have tread their own unique Way. This stage isn’t the Tenth Stage and actually just the next half-step of Ninth Stage. This information was omitted by Godbrandy’s translation. Once a Tribulation Immortal trod a Way, he will gain an unlimited life span, just like the title implied. However, it doesn’t mean an Eternal Life Being can’t be killed and die. Due to the principle limitations of the Nine Serenities World, Demons of the Nine Serenities are unable to tread their own Way of Eternal Life. Term of Address Eternal Life Being Name/Saint Title Emperor Powerful Eternal Life Beings may use Emperor (帝; Dì) as part of their title such as Heavenly Emperor (天帝;Tiān Dì) and Four Directional Great Emperors (四方大帝; Sì Fāng Dà Dì) . Demon Emperor (魔帝; Mó Dì) seems to be a title for Eternal Life Beings from demon sects. Way of Eternal Life Although Tribulation Immortal are already incredibly powerful with the life span of tens of millions of years, they weren’t eternal (永恒; yǒnghéng) and imperishable (不朽; bù xiǔ); Tribulation Immortals still can die. Therefore, all those ancient Tribulation Immortals started to look for a method to increase their realm of one step and become ‘long life without dying’ (长生不死; cháng shēng bù sǐ). Their objective wasn’t to become imperishable (不朽; bù xiǔ) like the Heavenly Way, but to obtain a long life. In the end, those ancient Tribulation Immortals researched many ways and those that were extremely powerful and capable of Bearing the Mandate of Heaven found their own Way of Eternal Life (长生之道; Chángshēng zhī Dào). Normally the vast majority of the Eternal Life Beings would find their own Way only after advancing to the Ninth Stage Tribulation Immortal Realm—finally grasping the concept of eternal life—there were some that would find their path during the Eighth Stage Profound Saint Realm, or even earlier. Rules of Way of Eternal Life # A Tribulation Immortal must tread their own Way to be an Eternal Life Being – Upon losing her Way of the Heavenly Court, Heavenly Emperor’s cultivation instantly dropped to Tribulation Immortal Realm. # No two Eternal Life Beings can have the same Way at the same time – Chang’e was stranded in the Tribulation Immortal Realm and unable to tread his Way due to it already being occupied by the Heavenly Emperor. Upon the Way of the Heavenly Court was vacated by the Heavenly Emperor, Chang’e was able to tread the Way and becoming an Eternal Life Being. # An Eternal Life Being may have more than one Way – Heavenly Emperor had two Ways, the Way of the Heavenly Court and the Way of Time. # An Eternal Life Being can only have one Way active at any given time – Heavenly Emperor created the ‘seamless docking’ method, which allows the transition between the Ways without dropping to Tribulation Immortal Realm. This method was later on used by Song Shuhang at the behest of White, since realm dropping may cause some hidden danger. . # A Way may and can be passed around – Cheng Lin passed her Way of Nurturing New Life to Song Shuhang and Heavenly Emperor passed her Way of the Heavenly Court to Chang’e. Moon Wheel Halo Moon wheel (月轮; míng lún) is the symbol of an Eternal Life Being. It is also known as the Great Way Light Wheel (大道光轮; dà dào guāng lún). As long as a practitioner sees this light wheel, all kinds of emotions can flow into his heart. The light was like a mirror, and regardless of the level of the cultivator looking at it, the latter would come to different realizations after the radiance stemming from the ‘Way’ shone onto their body. From a moon wheel, the information of an Eternal Life Being’s Way can be obtained. Resurrection After breaking out of the life span’s crisis … these Eternal Life Beings will do everything possible to leave behind some resurrection’s back hand for themselves. After all, long life really isn’t the Heavenly Way, really isn’t the imperishable, still can die. As long as they have some resurrection’s back hand, even if Eternal Life Beings were to accidentally lose their life, they still would have the opportunity to stage a comeback. Although they would have to pay a huge price for the resurrection, they would be able to quickly return to peak condition by relying on all the arrangements they had made beforehand. Rebirth arrays (重生的阵法; chóngshēng de zhènfǎ) or also known as array of rebirth (重生之阵; chóngshēng zhī zhèn) were methods that Eternal Life Beings or other powerful cultivators had left behind for their sake. Although Eternal Life Beings have a long life, but it isn’t imperishable without dying (不朽不死; bù xiǔ bù sǐ), so they still have the possibility of falling from the sky. As such, all experienced Eternal Life Beings would secretly leave behind a few methods they could use to come back to life. After they had carelessly died, they would have the opportunity to stage a comeback thanks to these methods. Changing Heaven At any given time, there can be only one ‘Heaven’. The Current Heaven (当今的天; Dāngjīn de Tiān) must withdraw from the position first before a New Heaven (新天; Xīn Tiān) can replace it. Whenever the incumbent bearer about to withdraw from its position, the transition period will be known as ‘'Changing Heaven'’ (变天; Biàn Tiān). During this period, Ninth Stage Tribulation Immortals and Eternal Life Beings will shun the world. Those who didn't manage to shun in time will be pursued and ultimately destroyed by the Heavenly Thunder (天雷; Tiān Léi). However, there are some time gap before their presence were noted by the Heaven. Vying for Heavenly Way Once the position of the Heavenly Way is vacated, Eternal Life Beings and top Tribulation Immortals will vie among themselves to be the next Heavenly Way. Although the top contenders for the position of Heavenly Way are usually Eternal Life Beings, Tribulation Immortals can also partake in the struggle. Seventh Heavenly Way was merely a newly promoted Tribulation Immortal when he first proved the Way during the Vying for the Heavenly Way VI. Trivia This stage was erroneously translated as Immortal by Godbrandy. The only true ‘immortals’, who have a long life without death (长生不死; chángshēng bùsǐ), would be the Heavenly Ways. Category:Cultivation